By Your Side
by WiseGirl1993
Summary: "Sometimes you don't realize what you have until it's gone..." (Sawyer gets injured in a bike accident. The Doctors don't know if he'll wake up. Hazel stays by his side. Hazel/Sawyer one-shot).


**Hey, guys! I'm back with a Dolphin Tale one-shot! I was originally going to update my Dolphin Tale fanfic ****Maybe Forever**** (if you haven't checked that out I really, really hope you'll give it a read! It's Hazel/Sawyer). Anyway, I was going to update ****Maybe Forever**** but then I had the idea for this one-shot and I couldn't get it off my mind so I just had to write it!**

**I hope you enjoy it!**

**Reviews are appreciated :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****Dolphin Tale**** or ****Dolphin Tale 2.**

**Oh and by the way for any of you that read ****Maybe Forever**** this one-shot has nothing to do with it! It was just a random thought and I was going to put into the fanfic but then I couldn't find a way to fit in so I just wrote it as a one-shot.**

**Enjoy!**

**Oh and P.S Sawyer and Hazel are sixteen in this story! **

**And this is random but there are slight spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the beginning.**

**Now enjoy! **

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><p><strong>-HAZEL-<strong>

Sixteen-year-old Hazel Haskett was sitting on her bed, eating a granola-bar and re-reading one of her favorite books, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She'd just gotten to the part when Harry had sacrificed himself, letting Voldemort kill him, (or rather letting Voldemort kill the Horcrux inside him but he hadn't known that) when the song _Clarity _by Zedd erupted from her iPhone, signalling she was receiving a call.

Sighing with slight annoyance Hazel set her granola bar down on her bedside, holding her book with her right hand as she reached for her iPhone with her left hand.

All her annoyance was forgotten when she realized it was her best-friend (and secret crush) Sawyer Nelson calling.

Hazel set her book down on her bedside as well before sliding the green 'phone-button' to the left and holding the hand to her ear.

"Sawyer? What's up?" She asked, her tone cheerful and excited.

Instead of hearing what Hazel had expected to hear, which was Sawyer's voice on the other end, her words were met with sobs. Sobs that definitely were not Sawyer's. Hazel's heart quickened, "Hello?!" She exclaimed, "Who is this?!" She demanded.

The person on the other-line, who Hazel guessed was female continued to cry for a few more moments before she finally calmed herself down enough to reply to Hazel's questions.

"Hazel, it's Lorraine." The person on the other line explained, stifling another sob before continuing. "It's Sawyer, he's, he's-" She let out a strange weak strangled cry. "He's been in a bike accident." She finished, and all the excitement and cheerfulness Hazel had been feeling evaporated. Her heart broke-no it _shattered _and she could already feel the tears running down her face. Luckily for the time being they were silent so she could speak to Lorraine without letting out an 'ugly sob.'

"Where are you?!" She questioned, already running from her room and down the stairs her granola bar and Harry Potter book forgotten.

"Morton Plant Hospital." Lorraine managed to muster as she broke into another round of sobbing.

Hazel's heart shattered all over again, she couldn't imagine the pain Lorraine Nelson was probably feeling at that moment. Hazel herself's heart was shattered and Sawyer was just her best-friend, whereas for Lorraine it was her son, her only son.

Not wanting to make the dark-haired woman have to talk any longer than necessary Hazel quickly replied, "I'm on my way! I'm taking dad's car, I'll text him right away. Be there in under twenty." Before hanging-up. She then raced over to the small 'key-tree' located near the front-door, grabbing the keys to her dad's black van and racing out the door.

_Mom, please let Sawyer be okay..._She prayed silently as she threw open the van's door and practically leapt into the driver's seat, sending her dad a quick text.

_Just heard from Lorraine that Sawyer's been in a bike accident and it sounds really serious, heading to Morton Plant Hospital, sorry I had to take the car but it was urgent. -Hazel_

She scrambled with the keys, finally finding the one belonging to the black van and hastily she jabbed the key into the ignition, causing the engine to roar to life, she glanced in her rearview mirror making sure the coast was clear before she backed up slightly, backing out of the parking spot and driving the black van from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium's parking lot.

She could hardly concentrate on the roads as she exited the parking lot and headed in the direction of Morton Plant Hospital. Her heart was beating so fast she felt as though she was going to have a heart-attack, and at the same time it felt as though her heart wasn't beating at all. She felt way too much emotion while at the same time she felt empty.

_Mom, please let Sawyer be okay..._She prayed again as the black van roared down the street.

_-Dolphin Tale-_

"I'm here to see Sawyer Nelson!" Hazel exclaimed as she raced up to the front desk of the hospital.

A middle-aged, tired/grumpy looking woman with an enormous bun of red-hair and cold blue-eyes looked up at her through her large 'cat-like' brown glasses. She looked as if the last thing she wanted to be doing was sitting at the desk.

"Name?" She mumbled.

"Hazel Haskett." Hazel replied nearly instantly, not wanting to waste a second of time because each second that ticked by was another second that she didn't know what was happening to Sawyer. Another second where he could, for all she knew be dying.

The woman shuffled through a few papers, before looking up at Hazel again. "Are you family?" She questioned.

Hazel bit her lip, "Well no, not exactly but I'm very close with Sawyer and his mother and I-" She began to explain but the woman cut her off with a smile that was so full of false sympathy Hazel wanted to punch her.

"I'm sorry dearie-"

"Hazel." Hazel corrected.

The woman gave her another false smile, "I'm sorry _Hazel,_" her words were dripping so much sarcasm and false sweetness. "But Sawyer Nelson is currently in surgery, in fact he's been there for a few hours. And even if he weren't in surgery you wouldn't be allowed to see him anyway. Only immediate family will be allowed into Mr. Nelson's room after his surgery is complete. Though, if Mr. Nelson is to pass away then after his immediate family pay's their respects you'll be allowed in for a few brief moments." She explained.

Hazel felt as though she were going to faint, her best-friend had been in surgery for a few _hours _and if that wasn't bad enough 'miss cat eyes' just mentioned that if he were to _die _she'd have a few brief moments to pay her respects?!

It was all too much for Hazel to handle.

She opened her mouth to say something to the red-haired receptionist, not sure exactly if she was going to beg to be let in or scream about how unfair that policy was but she found herself slipping to the ground. She didn't seem to be fainting because she was still conscious, but she felt numb, as though the news of Sawyer's state that paralyzed her.

The last thing she heard was the receptionists frantic yell of;_ "Miss! Miss! Miss!" _

Before everything went black.

_-Dolphin Tale-_

_Hazel laughed, rolling her eyes at the brown-haired boy in front of her. _

_"You're crazy!" She exclaiming, shoving him playfully. _

_The brown-haired boy, Sawyer Nelson, Hazel's best-friend and crush (though he wasn't aware of that small fact) shoved her right back._

_"I'm the crazy one?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows while smirking._

_"What's that supposed to mean?!" Hazel demanded, crossing her arms._

_Sawyer shook his head in amusement. "You're calling me crazy, and you're the one who decided we go on this whole expedition." _

_Hazel blushed, "Yeah, okay, good point..." She trailed off, quickly adding. "But I wasn't the one who thought it would be funny to run into George's yard and trip over his garbage can! The garbage is everywhere! He's bound to see it soon!" _

_Sawyer glanced worriedly over at the yard, "Well he's a jerk so I don't really care that much." He muttered._

_Hazel giggled, shoving Sawyer again lightly. "Be nice!" She exclaimed though she completely agreed with her best-friend. _

_Sawyer huffed over-dramatically, "Fine." He grumbled._

_Hazel smiled, "You're the crazy one." She whispered teasingly, she too glancing over at George's backyard._

_Sawyer met her gaze straight on and she returned his gaze, trying her best to hide her blush. "I think were both crazy." He decided, his voice also a whisper. _

_Before Hazel could reply she noticed that Sawyer was leaning in towards her, with her eyes on his lips she leaned towards him. Just as their lips were a mere inch apart someone yelled out from a few feet away.  
><em>

_"What the heck?!" It was George._

_"Crap!" Sawyer muttered, "Come on!" He added, racing away down the alley. _

"Is she okay?" Hazel was brought back to reality by an unfamiliar man's voice.

"Hazel? Honey?" The next voice was one she recognized,

"Dad." She murmured, blinking open her eyes.

She was slightly annoyed that she'd been brought from her dream/memory at that moment. She remembered the day they'd come on that 'mission' to George's. It had been only a few weeks earlier. And though they'd been _so_ close to kissing they hadn't even discussed that fact a little bit. They'd just went right back to friends as though the moment hadn't happened. That had caused Hazel to believe Sawyer didn't have feelings for her.

But laying on the floor in some strange room, staring up at the faces of her dad, Phoebe and three unrecognizable men that seemed to be hospital security because she'd passed out after hearing that Sawyer could die caused Hazel to realize something.

She no longer cared if Sawyer Nelson returned her feelings...well of course she _cared _that he'd return her feelings but she was no longer afraid to confess her feelings for him.

She was no longer afraid that he'd push her away if she kissed him.

All she wanted to do was kiss him.

And she was determined to.

When there was still breath left in his body.

And if that meant she had to do it in the next ten minutes because he was dying (though she prayed to God that wasn't the case) so be it.

She just wanted to kiss him.

She just wanted him to know how she felt.

Hell, she just wanted to sit beside his bed.

She just wanted to be by his side.

"Hazel! Honey are you okay?!" Her dad's frantic voice brought her from her thoughts and she stared up at him, and she couldn't help herself, she burst into tears. "What's wrong, Hazel?!"

Hazel sniffed, trying her best to blink away her tears. "Is Sawyer going to be okay?" she asked, her voice soft.

Her dad looked down at her, "First things first are _you _okay?" He questioned.

Hazel met her dad's gaze, and with a dead serious gaze she replied, "I'm okay if he's okay."

Dr. Clay smiled down at her, grabbing both her hands and hoisting her to her feet. "Well?" Hazel asked when he didn't reply after several moments.

"Come with me. " Her dad said, taking her hand and exiting the room, Hazel followed, gripping her dad's hand with all her strength, trying to use his touch to somehow give herself the strength she needed.

_Please mom, God, let Sawyer Nelson be okay, please, please, please, please, please. _Hazel thought as her dad led her down a few more hallways until they reached a small, somewhat closed off area of the hospital.

Hazel spotted Lorraine Nelson instantly, she let go of her dad's hand and broke into a run hugging Sawyer's mom tightly. Lorraine hugged back with an equal amount of force, as though she were trying to find strength in Hazel like Hazel had tried to find in her dad.

When they pulled away they were both crying silent tears. It was then that Hazel noticed Sawyer's cousin Kyle, his parents, Dr. Cameron McCarthy, Phoebe, Sawyer's friend Susie and some of his friends from school among others were gathered in the small area.

Her heart shattered for what felt like the millionth time that day, the receptionists words echoed in her mind.

_ "Only immediate family will be allowed into Mr. Nelson's room after his surgery is complete. Though, if Mr. Nelson is to pass away then after his immediate family pay's their respects you'll be allowed in for a few brief moments."_

The only way that all those people who weren't related to Sawyer would be allowed into the hospital would be because Sawyer had died. As Hazel realized this she felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her, all of a sudden she was gasping for breath and she felt as though she was going to faint again.

"Hazel!" Phoebe cried out, grabbing the blonde-haired teenager by the arm and dragging her over to a bench, she sat her down. And right as Hazel was seated on the bench she managed to steady her breaths and her vision cleared.

"Is Sawyer...is he..." She stammered, not allowing herself to utter the word; _dead. _She couldn't believe that Sawyer Nelson, her best-friend, her crush (though he felt way more than a crush, even though they'd never kissed Hazel felt as though she loved Sawyer Nelson and she knew that was stupid considering they'd never kissed but she couldn't help the fact that those were her feelings). She couldn't imagine a world in which he ceased to exist.

Lorraine sat down next to Hazel, wrapping her arms around her. "He came out of surgery about a half-an-hour ago, just a few minutes after you fainted, or so I'm told. The doctor's say he's in a coma but they're unsure if he'll be able to wake-up." She explained, choking back a sob.

Hazel motioned to the people around her, "Are they all here to say goodbye?" She questioned.

Lorraine managed a small smile, "Actually, no. They were allowed in because after your accident Mrs. Clark decided just to let everyone who wanted to see Sawyer Nelson see him because she doesn't want anymore 'over-dramatic' acts of heartbreak breaking out in the lobby." She explained.

Hazel couldn't help but laugh, but her laugh was hollow and humorless. "Is Mrs. Clark the receptionist?" She asked.

Lorraine nodded, "The one and only." She confirmed.

"How did this happen?" Hazel questioned, changing the subject.

Lorraine sighed, "I'm not exactly sure. I got the call an hour after the accident because it took the hospital a little while to identify Sawyer. They told me that he was found by a passing car that watched the accident happen. A lady named Melody I believe it was...Anyway she saw everything happen. According to her Sawyer was biking on the road when a car that obviously had a drunken driver in it spun out, Sawyer swerved to avoid it but that only caused him to crash into it. Apparently he hit his head on one of the rear-view mirrors." She explained.

Hazel let out a strangled sob as she imagined the scene Lorraine had just described. She didn't know what to say, nothing she could think of seemed right so she didn't respond.

They sat in a grief-stricken silence for a few minutes before Hazel broke it.

"So...can I go in and see him?" She whispered.

Lorraine Nelson gave her an encouraging smile, "Of course, Hazel." She murmured.

Hazel took a deep breath, getting to her feet and approaching the small hospital room that 'Sawyer's group' was clustered around. She bit her lip before pushing open the door and stepping inside.

Her heart broke, yet at the same time it swelled at the sight of Sawyer. She hated seeing him so battered and bruised, it caused her heart to feel as though it had been stomped on a million times, but though it pained her, it also caused her heart to swell. Just seeing him, lying there, almost as though he could be sleeping (besides all the machines and stuff hooking up to him and his bloody and bruised face) it made her so glad to see the slow rise and fall of his chest and the fact that she could hear his heartbeat on top of that.

It was wonderful.

Slowly and cautiously she approached him, sitting down in a blue chair that had been pulled up beside his bed.

She wasn't sure exactly what to say, she wanted to say so much. It was believed that people in coma's could still hear what was going on but if that wasn't the case she didn't want to spill her guts out to him when he wasn't even listening.

But then again, this could be the last chance she got to spill everything to him when his heart was still beating because for all she knew in moments his heart could stop.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, before taking a deep breath.

"Hey, Sawyer." She began slowly, and out of habit she grabbed his hand.

It was warm.

That caused her to grin. She held his hand loosely, her fingers grasping his in a way that was tentative and shy. Slowly she allowed herself to hold his hand completely, lacing their fingers together and she continued her 'speech.' "Sawyer Nelson, I'm not sure if you can hear me. I hope you can because what I'm about to tell you is something I've wanted to tell you for a long time and I'd hate to use all my breath saying it to you if I'll just have to repeat it when you wake up. Because you _will_ wake up." She paused for a moment. "Anyway, Sawyer what I'm trying to say is that I met you when we were eleven. We've been best-friends ever since and ever since just after you returned from the SEA Program in Boston, yes I'm aware that was awhile ago I've started to have feelings for you. And not friendly feelings, like two best-friends are supposed to have but romantic feelings. I've wanted to tell you but I've been afraid that you wouldn't return those feelings...but after hearing what happened to you and coming here and having my entire world spiral out of control I've realized something. Sawyer Nelson, I just want to tell you my feelings, even if you don't return them. I want to kiss you at least once, more if possible and I want to be able to hug you and hold your hand. Sawyer I, I think even though this is crazy and completely insane considering we've never even been together but..." Hazel trailed off as she realized that she was crying, she wiped away the tears. "I don't know why I'm crying, this is supposed to be a happy moment...I guess I just never thought that I'd tell you that I like-no that I _love _you while you were in a coma." She paused again to wipe away more tears, "That's right, Sawyer. I love you and I just want you to know that. I hope you don't think I'm weird for loving you when we've never kissed but if you are to die I just want you to know that I love you...and I just want to." Hazel stopped, and instead of telling Sawyer what she wanted to do she leaned in...

...And kissed him.

He didn't kiss back, or hug her or smile against her lips or do any of the things she'd expect him to do after they kissed for the first time. Then again, she hadn't expected their first kiss to be while he was in a coma laying in a hospital bed.

It was then that her sobs overtook her and that she crumbled, her hand still holding Sawyer's she began to sob. Ugly sob. And she couldn't stop, she couldn't control herself.

_What did you expect? That after you'd kiss him he'd wake up like he's some sleeping beauty and you're prince charming?! _She inwardly scolded herself as the tears cascaded down her cheeks.

She didn't know how long she was crying, seconds, minutes, hours, days? But she only stopped when she felt Sawyer's hand wrap around hers. She looked up startled and she noticed that his eyes were opening slightly.

A breath caught in her throat she she watched his mouth form something that looked like, '_I love you too' _before his eyes closed again.

It was then that Hazel heard a loud beeping noise that didn't stop, and immediately after she heard it she knew what it meant without even looking at the machine to see the straight line that would be across it.

Sawyer Nelson was dead.

_-Dolphin Tale-_

Hazel awoke with a start, she was crying and seemed to be slightly hyperventilating. She sat up and glanced over at her clock, it read; eleven-thirty pm. She groaned, rolling over on her back only to be greeted with a sharp jab of pain.

She fumbled around in the dark for her light switch that was located by her bed, she flipped it on and realized that the pain had been caused from the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows she frowned, then noticing the half-eaten granola bar on her bed.

_But I thought I set those on my bedside before I went to the hospital..._she thought, and then her eyes widened as she realized that she was on the "Nineteen Years Later" section of her book rather than the part where Harry had just sacrificed himself.

Which either meant she'd read more after Sawyer's death...

Or...

Hazel grabbed her iPhone, entering in her password she pulled up her messages, clicking Sawyer's name and punching in.

_Hey, are you okay? -Hazel_

The reply was instant,

_Yeah, why? -Sawyer_

Hazel resisted the urge to scream, happiness bubbled inside her and she felt as though she were going to explode.

_Can you please come over now? I know it's late...-Hazel_

Again the reply was instant,

_Yeah, be there in ten. -Sawyer_

Hazel jumped from her bed, racing from her room, down the stairs and out of the house.

_I was dreaming, I was dreaming, I was dreaming! _She thought in excitement, she wanted to scream and jump around but considering it was eleven-thirty at night she decided otherwise.

When she'd asked Sawyer to come over to her house she'd only asked him because she wanted to make sure she wasn't dream.

As she stood outside a thought entered her mind, and she smiled knowing what she had to do.

During her dream she'd realized that she had needed to tell Sawyer her feelings and that she needed to kiss him. Standing there she realized that her dream had helped her realize that she needed to tell Sawyer her feelings and needed to kiss him before something tragic like a bike accident could occur.

_I'm going to tell him, mom. _She thought happily, gazing up at the stars that were shining down at her.

A few minutes later she heard the familiar sound of Sawyer's bike tires and she looked up to see him pulling up in front of her house. With a grin she practically bounded over to him and before he could say anything she wrapped him in a hug, and without thinking began to sob.

"Hazel, are you okay? What's wrong? What happened?!" Sawyer demanded.

Hazel didn't respond for a few moments but finally she managed to calm herself, she pulled away from Sawyer. "I had a dream that you got in a bike accident and died." She murmured.

Sawyer looked surprised and shocked at first but slowly his expression softened and he hugged Hazel again. "Don't worry I'm not going anywhere." He promised.

Hazel shook her head, "You can't promise me that. You can't promise anyone that." She said.

"Hazel-" Sawyer began.

Hazel cut him off, "No, Sawyer. You can't actually promise anyone that so just in case something bad does happen I want you to know something." She murmured, looking down at her bare-feet before meeting her best-friends gaze again. "I want you to know that we've been best-friends since we were eleven and I'll understand if you don't having any more but friend-like feelings for me. I've known ever since you came back from the SEA Program that I've liked you more than a friend. I haven't told you this because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. But my dream made me realize that I need to tell you this Sawyer Nelson...I need to tell you that I want to kiss you, and I want to hug you and hold your hand and I know that this is probably completely insane since we've never been together but...the dream I had felt so real and in my dream I realized Sawyer that I have feelings for you, _strong_ feelings that might even be equivalent to feelings of _love. _My dream made me realize Sawyer that even if you don't kiss me back or if you only feel a friendship towards me I don't care." She trailed off, "I just want to kiss you at least once."

And with that the blonde-haired girl leaned in and their lips met.

Only this time he kissed back.

_-Dolphin Tale-_

Hazel Haskett slowly entered her bedroom, careful not to step on any loose boards that would cause the floor to creak.

She made it successfully over to her bed, a grin was plastered on her face. A grin she was pretty sure would be there for a long, long time.

She'd told Sawyer her feelings.

She'd kissed him.

And best of all he'd kissed back.

He'd returned those feelings.

Now they were dating.

_Sawyer Nelson my boyfriend..._Hazel thought giddly.

She stared down at her bed, the half-eaten granola bar and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows  were still sitting there.

She picked up the granola bar and threw it into the trash-bin that was beside her bedside table.

Then she picked up her book and walked over to her bookshelf, setting it beside Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

She managed a small smile.

It was funny really how one book could go from being her favorite book in a series to being her least favorite book in a series all because of one horrifying dream.

She knew that she would probably never re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows  again for it brought back to many memories-or rather figments of her imagination that she wanted to forget.

Her iPhone beeped in her pocket, and she pulled it out, unlocking it and staring down at the message on the screen.

_Goodnight, girlfriend_

She grinned.

_Night boyfriend _

And with that Hazel Haskett went to bed with a grin plastered on her face.

And this time she didn't dream at all.

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><p><strong>What did you guys think? I hoped you liked it! I honestly started crying so much and was originally going to kill off Sawyer but then I was too sad so I made a happy ending *cough* You're welcome! *cough*. <strong>

**Haha, well anyway I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review telling me your thoughts!**

**And remember to check out my Dolphin Tale story (this is only a one-shot) Maybe Forever it would be greatly appreciated!**

**~Bye!**

**Oh and P.S I'm pretty sure I'm never going to be able to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows  without breaking into tears anymore! And darn it, it was my favorite one! Hinny is life XD I mean besides Sawyer/Hazel.   
><span>**

**So yeah...**

**~Bye again!**


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